Traffic Signs in India – Road Safety Signs

Understanding each and every traffic sign is among the most important aspects for all road-users. The traffic signs communicate the basic rules and regulations of the road through simple graphics that can be understood within seconds. Also, anyone who wishes to apply for a driving license first needs to learn all the traffic signs in order to pass the theoretical examination of driving. Here, in this post, we tell you in detail about the road signs and their importance.

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Types of Traffic Signs/Symbols for Indian Roads

In all, there are three kinds of road signs in India, which are as follows-

Mandatory Signs

As you can understand from the name, these are the road signs that need to be followed compulsorily, failing which, one might be issued a challan by the traffic cops. These signs are used to make sure that free movement of traffic isn’t hampered, while the road users are made aware of the specific laws, such as those of speed limits and no parking zones.

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Cautionary Signs

These traffic signs are required to make the road users realize potential dangers or safety hazards on the road. These signs are, in a way, used to caution the driver to take the necessary steps that make him or her ready to handle a situation.

Informatory Signs

These are a type of traffic that are used to tell the road users about information such as that on the destination, distances, fuel stations, nearby medical centre, public convenience, etc.

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Traffic Signs For Kids/Students

Parents love their children more than anyone and anything else in the world and do all they can to keep their kids safe and secured. However, it’s not always possible to accompany one’s children everywhere and the safety of kids on road is a matter of great concern. While kids stay exposed to risks everywhere, it’s on the road that the danger is heightened. However, the authorities have seen to it that appropriate signs for the safety of children are put up at places like school or playing zone. That said, children need to be aware of these road signs and safeguard themselves from potential hazards. Hence, it is the duty of the guardians to educate their kids about traffic signs. Given below are some traffic signs in India for kids that one should teach to his or her kids-

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• STOP Sign: This is the most easily recognizable sign. It is important for every kid to know that a Stop sign is put up at places where the driver needs to bring his vehicle to a halt. This allows the kids to pass through the road without any risk of an accident. The kids should know to cross a road only where Stop sign is put and only after the vehicles have come to a stop to let the children make their way through the road.

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• School Crossing Sign: As is self-explanatory, these signs are put where children cross the street right outside the school. These signs are used to communicate to the driver to come to a stop in case kids are about to cross a road. Also, children should make sure to pass through the street only where these signs are put up.
• Slow- Children At Play Sign: Again, as is self-explanatory, this sign tells the driver to slow down and be alert of children that might end up on a street from the nearby play-zones. However, children should also be taught to be careful while playing. Parents should ask their kids to not play on the road as there is an increased risk of an accident on a public street
• Seat Belt- Buckle Up Sign: Seat belts are compulsory for both driver and front passenger in a vehicle. However, children are at a much higher risk of getting hurt than adults and hence, it’s advisable for all kids to buckle up regardless of where they are sitting in a vehicle. Seat belt signs are usually installed along most roads and serve as an effective reminder to the vehicle occupants to use seat belts.

Teaching your children about the above traffic signs can be seen as the first step towards making them responsible drivers when they grow up.

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Functions of traffic signs

• It is important for all drivers to know about the traffic signs or the road safety signs in order to ensure the safety of himself as well as others. The basic functions of traffic signs include-
• Inform road users of the distance left to cover to reach a destination.
• Inform roads users of the alternative routes to a destination
• Caution road users of hazards near areas such as schools and colleges
• Inform road users of specific locations such as those of public convenience outlets, restaurants and hospitals

Importance of traffic signs in daily life

As per official data, almost 400 road accidents happen in India every day. Also, as per statistics shared by WHO, road mishaps cost almost 3% of the total gross domestic product of a country. Hence, the road signs play an important role in the daily life of all road users.

• For starters, the road signs prevent mishaps from occurring on the road, thereby safeguarding the vehicle users and pedestrians alike.
• Traffic signs also ensure that the road users follow basic rules, thereby reducing the chances of the commitment of traffic offences.
• Traffic signs also help in easy navigation of the routes.

Every road users, be it a vehicle-user or a pedestrian, should give utmost importance to road signs. As we said, it is important for all applicants of driving license to understand road signs and keeping them in mind can actually help one avoid mishaps.

Traffic Police Hand Signals – Hand Signals by Policemen

To Start One-Sided Vehicles
To stop vehicles coming from front
To stop vehicles approaching from behind
To stop vehicles coming simultaneously from front and behind
To stop vehicles approaching simultaneously from right and left
To start vehicle approaching from left
To start vehicles coming from right
To change sign
To start one sided vehicles
To start vehicles on T-Point
To give VIP salute
To manage vehicles on T-Point

Also read – Traffic Signal Rules – Traffic Light Rules in India

Hand Signals by Drivers

Intend to move to the left or turn left
Intend to move to right or change lane to right
Intend to stop
I intend to slow down
Indicate the car following you to overtake

Road Marking or Pavement Marking Signs

Centre Line Marking For A Two Lane Road
Lane Line And Broken Centre Line
Centre Barrier Line Marking For A Four Lane Road
Centre Barrier Line Marking For A Six Lane Road
Double White/Yellow Lines: Where visibility is low in both directions, neither side of vehicles are allowed to cross the line
Combination Of Solid And Broken Lines: One may cross the line but overtaking to be done only when it’s safe. Solid lines means crossing and overtaking is not allowed
Stop line – Indicates where to stop when directed by cop or lights
Give Way Line: Usually a double dotted line marked transversely at junctions.
Border or Edge Lines-
Parking Prohibited Lines
Yellow Box Junctions or Keep Clear: The vehicles should cross it only if a clear space is available ahead of the yellow box. Vehicles must not stop even briefly in marked area
Pedestrian Crossings

Also Read : Road Safety Tips – Road Safety Rules of India

Road Rage in India

If you look into its literal meaning, the term ‘Road Rage’ refers to a violent incident caused on a street, especially by an aggressive driver. However, in layman’s terms, road rage is an unfortunate incident where an angry motorist injures or causes damage to another road-user. It’s common for the occurrence of road rage to be accompanied by the use of swear words or impolite behaviour. It is not uncommon to find road rage in most drivers as the congested streets of most Indian cities can easily irritate even the calmest. These incidents of violence can be seen in day-to-day life mostly in peak hours when many public roads remain grid-locked for hours. Also, at times, drunk driving becomes the reason for road rage. It has been observed that road rage involves following activities-

• Speeding, Rash Driving and Aggressive Acceleration.
• Tailgating.
• Aggressive lane changes without use of indicators
• Increasing speed to prevent a vehicle from overtaking
• Consistently honking or flashing headlights
• Rude gestures.
• Usage of profanities
• Purposefully hitting another person, vehicle or object with one’s own vehicle.
• Hitting a person or vehicle with a weapon
• Threatening to use a deadly weapon.

Road Rage is a huge menace all over the world. Many countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, England, New Zealand and Japan have repeatedly taken steps to curb the menace of this phenomenon. One of the best ways to avoid being a victim of road rage is to keep oneself away from any sort of provocation. Hence, one should avoid making eye-contact with the offending driver and should not respond to his rude gestures. Also, one shouldn’t allow other drivers to get a sense of ‘competition’.

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